Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Background of the Invention
In a railway car, primary and secondary suspension systems are
employed. The primary suspension system generally refers to the suspension
between the journal assembly and the truck frame. The secondary suspension
system generally refers to the suspension, such as air or mechanical springs,
between a bolster on the truck and the car body. The present invention is
clirected to primary suspension systems.
Such primary suspension systems have taken numerous different
forms, generally involving metal springs on sliding devices. Some so-called
"soft" primary systems have springs on both ends and include gears for con-
trolling the movements of the axle journals up and down. With these arrange-
mellts, shock absorbers or other damping means must be employed.
It is the object of this invention to provide an improved primary
suspension system in a railway car.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved
soft primary suspension system for a railway car which minimizes wayside noise
and vibrations and which minimizes damage to the track.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an
impl~oved primary suspension system which does not require bottom metal springs
2n or sliding devices.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides in a railway car having a truck
with a sideframe for receiving an axle disposed to ride on journal bearings,
a primary suspension system disposed between said axle on journal bearings and
said sideframe comprising:
(a~ flexible means extending around and spaced from said axle on
journal bearings;
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(b) said flexible means including a pair of spaced surfaces extending
radially from the axis of said axles and defining a gap therebetween;
(c) means for securing said flexible means to said side frame;
(d) a support structure for supporting sa;d axle and journal bearings;
(e) said support structure including a portion extending radially away
from the axis of said axle into said gap and attached to said two spaced
surfaces.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent and suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, from a reading
of the following specification and claims, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a sideview of a truck for supporting a railway car,
of the type which may utilize the primary suspension system of the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 2-2 of
Figure 1 when the primary suspension system is not deflected;
Figure 3 (appearing with Figure 1) is a cross-sectional view,
taken along lines 2-2 when the primary suspension system is deflected;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 4-4 of
Figure 1 l~hen the primary suspension system is deflected;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 5-5 of
Figure 1 when the primary suspension system is deflected, and
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 6-6 of
Figure 1 when the primary suspension system is deflected.
Referring to Figure 1, a truck 10 of a type which may incorporate
;~ the primary suspension system of the present invention is illustrated. The
truck 10 is somewhat conventional in design and includes a pair of wheel
assemblies 12 and 14, secured to suitable sideframes such as sideframe 16.
A bolster 18, supported by the sideframes, holds an air spring 20. An anti-
roll bar 22, extends across the car and includes a link 24, which is connected
to brackets 26, mounted to the bolster. A stabilizer 28, is connected be-
tween the bolster and the wheel axle assembly.
All of the various items mentioned so far are found in many
conventional trucks designed to support railway car bodies.
Referring to the remaining figures of the drawings, Figures 2
and 3 are similar except that Figure 2 illustrates the primary suspension
system when it is not deflected or free of any applied load, whereas Figure
3 illustrates the suspension system when a load is applied and the primary
suspension system is deflected and also shows more details of the bearing
assembly. An axle 30 is connected to the wheel 12 to provide a wheel assembly.
A primary suspension system 32 is disposed between the sideframe 16 and the
axle bearing assembly. As illustrated in Figure 2, the axle 30 rotates with-
in roller bearings 34. The bearings 34 roll on inner ring sleeves 36 and
outer ring 38. The bearing assembly, including the rollers 34 and rings 36
and 38, are supported by a bearing support 40. The bearing arrangement and
axle arrangement thus far described are conventional and found in many conven-
tional types of trucks.
The primary suspension comprises a support member 42, which in-
cludes an inner surface 44 extending around the bearing assembly and an out-
wardly radially extending portion 46. A suitably shaped ring 48 and a
flexible ring 50 are disposed around the roller bearing assembly between the
roller bearing assembly and the support member 42.
The primary suspension system further comprises flexible means,
including a pair of flexible rings 52 and 54, which provide center surfaces
56 and 58, which are attached to the portion 46 of the support member 42.
Tlle outer surfaces 60 and 62 are connectcd to support elements 64 and 66J
respectively, which in turn are secured to the sideframe 16.
Figure 2 illustrates the primary suspension system, particularly
the rings 52 and 54, in an undeflected condition. As illustrated, the outer
and inner diameters of the rings are asymmetrical. The reason for this is to
provide more Elexible means between the car body and axle bearings. Under
these conditions, no load is being applied to the suspension systcm. The
upper portion of the rings 52 and 54 are wider than the portion toward the
bottom. In other words, the outer circumferences of the rings 52 and 54 are
not concentric with their center openings or with the axis of the axle. The
radial dimensions of the rings 52 and 54 taper gradually as they extend from
around the top of the axle 30, becoming more narrow as they approach the
bottom of the axle 32. The extending portion 46 of the support member 42
corresponds in size to the inner surfaces of the rings 52 and 54, being like-
wise non-concentric with respect to the axis of the axle. In an undeflected
condition, the top and bottom portions of inner surfaces 68 and 70 extend
angularly inwardly toward the axis of the axle 3Q. The bottom portions of
2Q the outer surfaces 71 and 72 both include angular areas which extend in an
angular direction toward the end portion 46 of the support member 42 and flat
portions, as illustrated. The upper portlons of the outer surfaces 71 and 72
are pointed upwardly away from the axis of the axle 30.
When the primary suspens-ion system is under load, the rings 52
and 54 become deflected. Figure 3 illustrates a deflected condition of the
rings 52 and 54 produced by a downward movement of wheel 12 relative to side-
frame 16. The rings 52 and 54 are deflected downwardly so that the inner
surfaces 68 and 70 of the bottom portion are flat and the inner surfaces
68 and 70 of the upper portions are deflected inwardly and downwardly at an
angle -toward the portion 46 of the support member 42. A~ the same time, the
bottom portions of the sections 71 are deflected at two pointed angles while
the top portions are partly flat and partly angular in the manner illustrated.
During deflection, the axle 30 and its associated bearing assembly move down-
ward and push the support member 42 downward. This causes the rings 52 and
54 to be deflected in the manner illustrated.
Figures 4J 5 and 6 illustrate the various positions of the flex-
ible rings 50 and 52 as they extend around the axle while the system is being
deflected.
As illustrated in Figure 5, a pair of indexing pins are providedat both sides of the axle with only one being illustrated. The indexing pin
73 extends through the support member 42, flexible ring 50, ring 48, and into
an opening in the bearing support 40. These indexing pins, disposed on either
side of the rings 52 and 54, provide a lateral fail-safe system and maintains
the ring in position. The projecting portion 46 extending centrally into the
flexible means, including the rings 52 and 54, provide a self-guiding suspen-
sion system.
~0 The rubber, or other flexible material comprising the rings 52
and 54, provides all the items necessary for the suspension and, therefore,
there are no sliding or rubbing joints of any members involved. By having
the projecting portion 46 symmetrical about the center of the flexible means,
a double area of the rubber, or flexible material, is provided by the rings
52 and 54. By doubling the area of the rubber contacted, it is possible to
work at lower stresses, obtain lower spring rates and tberefore provide a
more practical soft primary system.
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It is noted that the load from the car body is applied to the
primary systenl in the center from the journal arrangement. The load, however,
is taken from the outside of the connecting member, or supporting member,
for the journals.
The flexible ring 50 provides rotational or self-aligning for
the suspension system. The two rubber rings 52 and 54 provide shearing mem-
bers on either side. This, in turn, loads the support elements 64 and 66
moullted to the sideframe 16 inside and outside of the primary suspension~
The system described is primarily directed to vertical suspension.
In such a system, relatively high spring rates are provided ~or lateral and
longitudinal motion. The design illustrated assures high rigid control of the
wheel and axle, both longitudinally and laterally, while at the same time
providing a very soft suspension vertically.
In many standard systems, the car may have a static deflection
of about l/lOth of an inch at each of the journals. This provldes a l/lOth
of an inch deflection for the load of the truck; so it may be said that if
there is roughly 13,000 pounds of journal load then the l/lOth of an inch
amounts of 130,000 pounds per inch. In the primary suspension system illus-
trated, it is possible to consider going to a spring rate of about 26,000
_0 poundsper inch or 1/2 inch static deflection per pound. At the same time,
the lateral and longitudinal spring rates remain high.
The particular grade of rubber used will naturally affect the
spring rate~. In a preferred embodiment, a 50% durometer rubber was used.
However, you could also use 45%, 50%, 55%~ 60% and all the way down to 90%
durometer, depending upon the force and kind of deflections required.
The rings 52 and 54 have been illustrated as being separate
rings. However, it is possible that the outer end surfaces of the rings may
be bolted together. It is also possible that the rings 52 and 54 may be made
as a single piece, some~hat in the shape of a horseshoe, to provide basically
the same type of operation as that described.
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